The present invention relates to a connector assembly for being coupled to a mating connector, and a shield for such connector. In particular, the present invention relates to such a connector with a vertical shield between rows of connector contacts.
In a typical electrical interconnection system, a first removably insertable circuit board includes a complementary electrical connector that is to be mated with a header assembly or header which is mounted to a second circuit board. As should be understood, when the first circuit board is coupled to the second circuit board by way of the electrical connector and header and when the first circuit board is in operation, a number of signals enter or leave the first circuit board through conductive paths defined by the electrical connector on the first circuit board and the header on the second circuit board. In many instances, the second circuit board has other circuit boards coupled thereto by other respective headers and complementary electrical connectors, and the aforementioned signals can originate from or be destined for such other circuit boards. Of course, the aforementioned signals can also originate from or be destined for other locations remote from the second circuit board by way of appropriate interconnections.
In any connector-header coupling, and especially in any coupling involving high speed, it is desirable to suppress signal noise and/or cross-talk.
In one conventional noise suppression arrangement, a signal is transmitted over a pair of differential (positive and negative) signal lines that travel together in close proximity. Typically, in such pair of differential lines, the signal itself (+V) is transmitted on the positive line, and the negation of the signal (xe2x88x92V) is transmitted on the negative line. Since both lines travel together in close proximity, any noise encountered by the lines should appear in a generally identical form on both lines. Accordingly, the subtraction (by appropriate circuitry or other means) of the negative line (xe2x88x92V+noise) from the positive line (+V+noise) should cancel out such noise ((+V+noise)xe2x88x92(xe2x88x92V+noise)=2V), thus leaving the original signal, perhaps with a different amplitude.
Though successful, the differential pair noise suppression arrangement nevertheless can require assistance, especially in a high frequency environment and where multiple signals pass through a connector in relatively close proximity (i.e., in high density). To combat such density-based noise, the connector requires shielding which substantially electromagnetically isolates within the connector each pair of differential signal lines from every other pair of differential signal lines.
Accordingly, a need exists for a connector that can have signals such as multiple differential signal pairs in relatively high density, and that has shielding for the signal pins, where the connector is practical and relatively easily manufactured.
The present invention satisfies the aforementioned need by providing a connector for being mated to a header having a plurality of header contacts arranged into a plurality of header rows, where the header contacts in each header row include signal contacts and ground contacts in a pre-determined arrangement. The connector is complementary to the header and has a housing and a connector row corresponding to each header row.
Each connector row is constructed as a subassembly that is mounted to the housing to form the connector, and has a plurality of connector contacts, a row block, and a row shield. Each connector contact of the connector row corresponds to a header contact. The row block securely holds each connector contact in the connector row. The row shield electrically shields the connector contacts of the connector row from an adjacent connector row.